WPSU is traveling to towns across central and northern Pennsylvania to collect oral history recordings. In Lock Haven we paired with a college journalism class and had students find someone interesting to interview. Lock Haven University student Deja Summers-Searles talked with professor Laurie Cannady about her recent health issues.

WPSU is traveling to towns across central and northern Pennsylvania to collect oral history recordings. In Lock Haven we paired with a college journalism class and had students find someone interesting to interview. Lock Haven University student Samantha Wilson talked with Ryan Brinkman, a former pro-surfer who now teaches Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Lock Haven.

WPSU is traveling to towns across central and northern Pennsylvania to collect oral history recordings. In Lock Haven we paired with a college journalism class and had students find someone interesting to interview. Lock Haven University student Benjamin Czajka talked with fellow student Ryan Bogaczyk. He talked about his father’s long struggle with recurring cancer.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. David Pasquinelli talked with his father, Brent Pasquinelli, about his military service in Vietnam. The WPSU-TV documentary “A Time to Heal” on the Vietnam War experience from a Pennsylvania perspective premieres Sept. 14 at 8 p.m. The documentary “The Vietnam War” by Ken Burns premieres Sunday, Sept. 17, at 8 p.m. Save Save

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Sharon Stringer talked to her friend Edgar Farmer about his time in Vietnam, as well as his transition to civilian life.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. John MacMillen told Fred Brown about his time in the Airforce in Vietnam.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Ryan Booz talks with his father Robert Booz about the time he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Cindy Bardo talked with her friend Gaylon Klobe, who spent a career in the U.S. Army and did three tours in Vietnam.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. John MacMillen talked with Fred Brown about his time in the Vietnam War.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Susan Patterson talked with her grandfather Bruce Heim about a convoy operation he led during the Vietnam War and what it was like to leave for the war.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Suzann Tedesco talked to her husband Colonel Vincent Tedesco about leading men in Vietnam.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Craig Yarnell talked about being drafted into the infantry in the Vietnam War in 1968.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Janet Fravel talked with her husband Dick Fravel about how the Vietnam war affected him.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Michael Dunlap talked with his friend Eli Duck. Both fought in the Vietnam War.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. John Gority and George Montgomery talked about their time in the Vietnam War and their experiences with Agent Orange.

As a part of WPSU’s radio, TV and web project “The Vietnam War: Telling the Pennsylvania Story,” we’re bringing you oral history interviews with Vietnam veterans. Paul Johnson and Stanley Snyder – who live in Altoona and have been friends since 7 th grade – talked about serving in the Navy during the Vietnam War.

Two counties in Eastern North Carolina are reporting COVID-19 related deaths. Craven County Health officials say an individual who tested positive for coronavirus a week ago died at CarolinaEast Medical Center on Thursday. Another person in Carteret County died from complications associated with COVID-19 today. The individual was in their late 60’s and had several underlying health conditions. There are 22 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Carteret County and 32 positive cases in Craven County.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper responded to President Donald Trump’s plan to reopen the economy by stressing that the state needs the federal government’s help supplying medical professionals to ramp up COVID-19 testing. The state government also said Friday that it was tripling the staff handling unemployment claims as the state faces a crush of hundreds of thousands requests. Trump told governors Thursday that restrictions could be eased to allow businesses to reopen in the coming weeks in areas that have extensive testing and a decline in cases. Hours later, Cooper, a Democrat, said states need more supplies from the federal government to expand testing enough to reopen their economies.

A COVID-19 outbreak at a North Carolina state prison has spread to approximately 150 inmates. The Wayne County Health Department said in a news release Friday that 149 inmates had tested positive for the virus at the state's Neuse Correctional Institution in Goldsboro. State prison officials had announced about 80 of the cases the previous night. The county health officials said that the number of positive results was expected to rise as the prison completes testing on all of its 700 inmates. Newly positive inmates are being put into isolation, and the state is sending additional medical and security staff to the facility.

Authorities in North Carolina are reporting 350 new coronavirus cases in the past 24 hours, pushing the total number of cases to 6,500. Numbers released Sunday by the state health department show laboratory-confirmed cases increased from 6,140 cases to 6,493. The death toll increased from 164 to 172. Modeling released Friday by the University of Washington suggests that North Carolina may have reached its peak in coronavirus cases in the last few days, and that social distancing could be relaxed as soon as May 11 if sufficient testing is conducted, large gatherings are limited and other provisions remain in effect. Other models are less optimistic.

A coastal town in North Carolina is lifting restrictions it imposed on visitors because of the coronavirus outbreak. WITN-TV reports the town of Beaufort in Carteret County has ended its police checkpoint near U.S. Highway 70. Mayor Rett Newton says the move is the first step toward taking the waterfront town back to normal. The town declared a state of emergency on March 17 because of the threat posed by the coronavirus and enacted restrictions that were to remain in effect through April 29. On April 9, the city established checkpoints that limited access to full-time county residents, people sheltering in place and essential workers.

A large COVID-19 outbreak at an eastern North Carolina prison has led officials to shutter a nearby facility so its correctional officers can help relieve staff there. The Division of Prisons said Monday that more than 330 of the 700 offenders at Neuse Correctional Institution in Goldsboro and a dozen of its employees have now tested positive. Nearly all of them are asymptomatic. Officers from the Johnston Correctional Institution should start working at the Neuse prison in a few days now that the Johnston prisoners have been moved elsewhere. There are now 6,750 positive COVID-19 cases statewide and about 180 deaths.

Three Eastern North Carolina counties are reporting COVID-19 related deaths today. Health officials in Lenoir County say an individual over the age of 65 with underlying medical conditions died. It is the first fatality in Lenoir County due to coronavirus. The Craven County Health Department announced another person died from COVID-19 complications. Craven County now has a total of four coronavirus deaths. The Jones County Health Department said in a news release that their second coronavirus death is an individual in their 90's with underlying medical conditions.

Hundreds of people angry and frustrated with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s stay-at-home order marched around his home while demanding that he cancel it to help restore the state's economy. The crowd gathered on Tuesday before being escorted by Raleigh police motorcycles to walk through downtown Raleigh streets, including those surrounding the Executive Mansion. Cooper’s current order expires April 29, but the governor has said goals still must be met to ease movement and commerce restrictions. He says he'll release more specifics this week about quantifying those goals. Governors of some surrounding states already have announced plans to reopen some businesses.

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper says the state's stay-at-home order from COVID-19 will remain in place for at least another two weeks because current data doesn't support loosening restrictions that began in mid-March. The Democratic governor said this and other prohibitions on dine-in restaurant services and mass assemblies has now been extended until May 8. The stay-at-home order was supposed to expired next week. Cooper also unveiled a three-phase plan for reopening based on expanded tracing and testing and declining case growth. Republican governors in Tennesse, South Carolina and Georgia this week announced they would ease restrictions so that some nonessential businesses could open.

The coronavirus pandemic could delay the removal of a 72-foot long fishing vessel that has been grounded for weeks on a beach on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. The scallop harvesting boat is considered a safety hazard as curious people climb aboard its rusting hull. The Virginian-Pilot reported Saturday that removing the abandoned boat could cost more than $60,000. The boat’s owner is responsible for its removal. But the owner lives in Texas. Stay-at-home orders have limited travel between states. Visitors are also banned from coming to the Outer Banks. The ship ran aground during a storm on March 1 near Oregon Inlet.

The Carteret County Board of Commissioners lifted travel restrictions for visitors on Wednesday. An amendment to the county’s state of emergency proclamation also allows the rental of hotel and motel rooms, condominiums, RV campsites, and similar accommodations. According to a news release, the amendment only applies to locations within the unincorporated areas of Carteret County. Officials say residents and visitors should continue to follow the guidance of Governor Cooper’s stay-at-home order, which is in effect through May 8th.

Through a program called “Feed the Soul,” hospital workers across North Carolina are receiving deliveries of nutritious meals as they respond to growing needs to treat COVID-19 patients. The program also supports local restaurants seeing a slowdown in business. The meal deliveries are made possible by contributions made to an emergency response fund created by the North Carolina Healthcare Foundation ( NCHF ), a nonprofit charitable organization. To date, the program has delivered more than 10,000 meals to staff at 13 hospitals in Asheville, Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. The program is now expanding to Greenville and Wilmington in eastern North Carolina. North Carolina has more than 200,000 hospital workers, many of whom are appreciating the delicious and nutritious meals prepared by local restaurants. “While most of us are staying home to eat meals due to social distancing, hospital employees are working around-the-clock to care for growing numbers of coronavirus

North Carolina Gov Roy Cooper has signed legislation pumping $1.6 billion into schools, hospitals, local governments and researchers dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. Cooper signed the two bills during a conference call on Monday. They represent a compromise between measures approved separately in the Senate and House last week, with input from the governor and legislative Democrats seeking items in Cooper's own $1.4 billion request. The $1.6 billion is less than half of North Carolina's share received from the $2 trillion coronavirus relief law that Congress approved last month.

On Tuesday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order No. 138 that implements phase one of easing restrictions. The order takes effect Friday, May 8th at 5pm. The governor said the modification to the statewide stay at home order will allow some businesses to reopen. “Retail stores will now be allowed to increase to 50% capacity as long as they can implement social distancing and frequent cleaning,” said Cooper. “The order allows people to leave home to visit any business that is open and it encourages parks and trails to reopen.” However, businesses like salons, barbers, theaters, gyms, and bars will remain closed for phase one. The governor said church services can resume as long as they are held outdoors and social distancing measures are practiced. “COVID-19 is still a serious threat to our state, and Phase 1 is designed to be a limited easing of restrictions that can boost parts of our economy while keeping important safety rules in place,” said Cooper.

Three counties on North Carolina's tourist-reliant Outer Banks have announced plans to lift coronavirus-related visitor restrictions. Officials in Currituck, Dare and Hyde counties released a joint statement on Wednesday announcing restrictions on entry for visitors will be lifted at noon on Saturday, May 16. According to the statement, reopening to visitors on that date will allow local businesses, attractions, and accommodation providers time to follow the new business operating requirements put in place by Gov. Roy Cooper's executive order. Officials are also reminding potential visitors to observe restrictions such as social distancing because the pandemic is not over.

As Governor Roy Cooper’s order to ease restrictions takes effect later this week, 29 state parks will reopen to the public on Saturday, May 9th. That includes Fort Macon, which is one of the most visited state parks each year. “Our main goal is to give people access to the park without it getting too crowded,” said Katie Hall, the Public Information Officer for the North Carolina Division of Parks and Recreation. Fort Macon State Park closed almost seven weeks ago because of the COVID-19 pandemic. On Saturday, beach areas, trails, and restrooms will reopen to the public. However, the visitors center and the exhibit will remain closed. Hall said park rangers are expecting a record number of visitors this weekend, surpassing park visitation numbers during the Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Independence Day holidays. “We’re not really opening the park for people to hang out. The idea is to get to the park, get some fresh air, get some exercise, run on the beach, whatever you like to do, and

FEMA recently approved disaster assistance funding for public utilities affected by Hurricane Dorian. More than $940,000 will go to Carteret-Craven Electric Cooperative for the replacement of damaged poles and transformers. The City of Kinston will receive more than $143,000 to replace damaged poles and transformers. And Brunswick County will receive nearly $45,000 for wastewater treatment repairs. FEMA has provided more than $16.1 million for Hurricane Dorian-related expenses in North Carolina through the Public Assistance program.

“You’ll be gone by spring,” said the same voice that drove me to retire. I was afraid this might be true, that I’d be dead by the time the weather warmed. Recent estate planning put death on my mind. I’ve heard enough about the frailty of old age, that it’d be all right by me to leave here with my faculties intact. You’ll be gone by spring. I couldn’t tell Bruce. Then came the snotty nose, my appetite gone, and sleep rising. While my pneumonia wasn’t COVID-19, I needed breathing treatments four times a day. Good doctors cared. I tell you there is healing beyond the science, in their touch, their listening. Then a dear friend said he might not survive this pandemic. An author wrote she was sick with COVID-19. You’ll be gone by spring. Was it Jesus’ voice or the voice, clanging like a train banging from one track to another, the cars jostling against their couplings, the voice of my life, maybe all our lives, rolling onto a siding while the pandemic roared by? Here on Good Friday we

“I never thought I would have to ask for food.” The young mother said as a box was placed in her car. In the last three weeks over 500,000 Illinois residents have filed for unemployment. We have never seen such a sudden, dramatic increase in the need for food in our region. There are now growing lines at area food pantries. Numbers of those seeking help has tripled. For 70% of them this is their first visit to a food pantry. This is occurring when food banks are receiving fewer donations from their sources. The food banks are dependent upon the donations from large food chains. Usually food whose shelf life has nearly expired, or produce that is about to go bad. Because nervous buyers have cleared out so many store shelves there is less leftover to donate. When you live at the bottom of the food chain and depend on leftovers, it is extra frightening when there is little left behind. We need to use this crisis to question our present food system built on dependence. We need to ask how

During tough times, my parents sing a song. It's sweet -- two real voices, not quite in tune, but full of energy. Whenever I complained, they’d break into song: You’ve got to accentuate the positive Eliminate the negative Latch on to the affirmative And don’t mess with Mr. In-Between! Listening, I often thought it’s old fashioned mumbo jumbo. It’s parent talk. Finally, I listened to Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters sing the whole song. The lyrics surprised me: You've got to spread joy up to the maximum Bring gloom down to the minimum Have faith or pandemonium’s Liable to walk upon the scene Sitting at home, while medical professionals work long hours, while so many small businesses struggle, we have a choice. We can accentuate the positive. But, it’s rosy skies and all smiles. Does it encompass our entire situation? Those who may be ill, who are alone, who may not be safe at home? Does it lack a realistic message for those whose lives are so far from simple hope? Since we can’t

The disaster movie starts and when bad things start to happen, a scientist always warns the people to change course. But the people never listen. That’s the gist of a mordant Facebook post circulating among scientists as they, along with the rest of us, have watched this frightening scenario play out in real life. The pandemic moved so fast and was so vicious that it’s no mystery why people insisted it couldn’t happen here. After all, we’re not Italy, or China. Scientists knew better, and in January, warned that it was going to happen here. Trump called them alarmist. In February, health experts were sure the virus had been lurking in communities for a while and was spreading fast. Precious weeks passed and the federal government failed to take charge. Against scientists’ advice, Trump urged those with the virus to take an untested drug. What have you got to lose, he said. In the meantime, governors scrambled to prepare hospitals, issue stay-at-home orders, and figure out testing. This

When unprecedented change happens, its repercussions seem to overpower anything worth smiling about in the world. But at the same time, with this huge change in society, comes the effort by so many to heal and reconnect, to positively respond to adversity in the best way we know how. This past week, my choir teacher reached out to our small choir group, one that had just recently been through the trauma of losing one of our own to a car crash. He spoke of the importance of connections and the realness that comes with being involved in a deeply connected group. He spoke of the power of music in sharing emotions, in bringing joy to even the most distraught. He then requested that each of us share a song that has been especially impactful during this unexpected extended quarantine. The shared clips were more than songs...they were deep feelings. Sadness, confusion, a small flutter of hope. With music we can see the raw emotions of our souls. We can see the small rays of sunshine that come

The COVID-19 pandemic is a situation most Americans alive today have not experienced. It’s challenged our American freedoms ranging from how we worship, work, educate, congregate, socialize, shop, vacation, and grieve. As a nation we take pride in our capitalistic economic system. Over the last several weeks we’ve witnessed 401K’s lose value, the stock market crash, along with historic joblessness and unemployment applications. I applaud both sides of the aisle for getting the stimulus package out, which includes the CARES act. But it’s not enough. The long-term effects of this pandemic will be far reaching. As states share their data on new cases and death related to COVID-19; the reality of American racism is being exposed again. According to the Surgeon General, African-Americans comprise 35.7% of confirmed cases and 53.2% of deaths despite only representing 27% of the US population. The US Census Bureau states the white population of Chicago, IL is 49%, and 30% African-American. As

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is one unexpected silver lining that I just have to share. Teachers are finally getting some of the love and respect that they so sincerely deserve from parents who now have that role – at least temporarily. Praise for educators is all over social media right now, and even celebrities and sports stars are acknowledging how challenging it is to teach and how appreciative they are for their children’s teachers. Teachers of all levels – from preschool through college – have shifted their instruction online while also demonstrating their compassion and concern for their students. Teacher car parades are driving through neighborhoods with signs to remind children and families that their teachers care about and miss them. Teachers are calling students to show they care, and online class sessions are routinely beginning with “check-ins” to make sure everyone is OK. Has the shift to at-home learning been perfect? Absolutely not, but educators across

If you’re like me, you probably having a hard time changing the idea of social distancing into a habit. That’s not easy. Old habits die hard. Why don’t we wear a mask in public, wash our hands more often…or stay at least six feet apart? We each have our own reasons. Sometimes we just forget. I do. And some people just don’t understand the consequences if someone else is exposed to their cough; their hands or something they touched with the virus on it. Other people resist the whole idea of being told what to do. They think that social distancing imposes on their freedom. Or worse, they just can’t be bothered, no matter who they expose to the virus, even their loved ones. So here’s a thought -- Six Feet is Not That Far Away. Where I live in Princeton, Illinois, right off Interstate-80’s Exit 56, a group of us are asking “What does social distancing mean to us? We’re hoping that artists of all kinds will share their interpretations of that message in photographs, videos and music about

What does it take to govern a nation well? This question has risen to the top of my list of concerns during these challenging Covid-19 days. And yes, it has increased my level of anxiety about the future of our nation and its citizens. Like me, you’re probably experiencing nagging anxieties about staying safe. Will I find toilet paper rolls today? Am I protecting myself enough when I bring groceries into the house, or after handling the pump at the gas station? But a much broader and significant issue for me is leadership – leadership that secures the future of our well-being as individuals, families and a healthy nation. I know leadership theories and training can vary greatly, but I have found a common denominator of leadership excellence. I call it “Maturity of Self-hood.” It’s a leader who is secure as a person, who knows her strengths as well as what triggers negative reactions in her. It is someone who is passionate about new possibilities, but tempers this by listening to ideas

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred efforts to control the spread of the virus through development of innovative digital contact tracing tools. In Singapore, Israel and India there is already an app for that. In Europe there’s debate between two competing frameworks, which have names that sound like Star Wars’ droids: PEPP-PT and DT-3T. And in the US, Apple and Google recently announced collaboration on a contact tracing feature that will eventually be integrated with updates to the mobile device operating system. Although providing promising solutions, these technologies are not without problems. First, the privacy protections for such systems need to be carefully scrutinized. The US currently does not have a general data protection law, like the EU's GDPR, that would permit government oversight and review of these contact tracing solutions. Second, contact tracing only works when a significant number of users opt-in and agree to use the technology. But there is no guarantee that

I clearly remember stories I heard as a kid from my older relatives about living through the Great Depression. The over-arching lesson I took from those accounts was this: unless you lived through it, you couldn’t truly understand what it was like. When I think of what life was like in the “Dirty 30s,” one image always comes to mind: Dorothea Lang’s “Migrant Mother,” taken in California in 1936 of Florence Thompson, a widow, with two of her seven kids huddled around her. Her look, complete with the 1,000-yard stare often associated with combat veterans, captures the quiet panic of a parent who cannot provide enough for her children. That look is also one of the fear and hopelessness of a victim of the economic system that betrayed her. She looked middle-aged 1936, but she was all of 32. As of April 24 th , close to 50,000 Americans have died from COVID-19, and 27 million have lost their jobs. On top of our catastrophe, we are sorely missing something Florence Thompson’s generation had:

“Come look!” announced my husband on an early spring morning over a month ago. “I have a surprise!” I followed him out to the backyard, and there rising up out of the cold brown earth, were a myriad of green stems with sheathed yellow flowers just beginning to make themselves known. “Two hundred daffodils!” my husband beamed brightly. “I planted them last fall in honor of our 50th wedding anniversary. Looks like they made it through the winter.” Although our 50th anniversary isn’t till June, we had scheduled a celebration trip to the island of Kauai in March, but as the frightening days of the corona virus quickly escalated, that trip was canceled. So many others have had to do the same, canceling weddings, spring breaks, graduations, and sadly, even funerals. So instead of sitting on a beach looking out at the blue Pacific as a rosy sun slid into the sea, we are sheltered at home looking out the windows to our leafless backyard. The bright spot, however, is that those 200 daffodils

Hey, all you cool cats and kittens! This is not Carol Baskin. It's Lynnea from Safe Passage. Have you hopped on the craze that is sweeping the nation? Have you fallen prey to the Tiger King? There's a lot of things to love in this series. The wacky hijinks of a gun-toting, sequin-wearing music video star and private zookeeper are just the ticket when you might be getting cabin fever in your home. But while we were all distracted by the complicated rivalry between Joe Exotic and The Big Cat Rescue, we missed a lot. Namely, we missed the abuse. For a documentary on private zoo owners, the unhappy and unsafe lives these animals were forced into was largely glossed over. Even more, the abuse the people faced hardly got a mention. Doc Antle was accused of building a coercive sexual relationship with the underage girls who came to work at his zoo. Joe Exotic was known to use drugs and gifts to lure and keep his husbands with him. Carol's history of being abused and assaulted starting at age

If you have ever skimmed a self-help book, you will be familiar with the current trend to plan ahead, strategize and focus. In a world where so much seems beyond our control, they advise we channel our efforts into well-defined goals. Unfortunately, such advice never seems to take into account the Enrique Solares approach to life. Enrique Solares was my husband's uncle and a gifted musician. When, in 1936, he was awarded a scholarship to study music in Belgium, his father threated to disinherit him. As a founder of a successful pharmaceutical company in Guatemala, Enrique's father was adamant that he abandon music and dedicate himself to the family firm. On the boat to Europe, he met a young Czech actress. Two days later the captain married them, so when he arrived in Brussels, he was not only disinherited and almost penniless, but he had a young wife in tow when Europe was on the cusp of World War II. As Viera would confess later: "most people would think we were foolish". And

As you listen to or read this essay, you will be celebrating the beginning of a brand-new month. But it is being written and recorded on another milestone -- the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. I was present for the very first one, as a student at the University of Illinois. Seminars, programs, speeches and leaflets urged the protection of our environment and an appreciation of the outdoors. For me, that appreciation would continue for a lifetime. This was the era of the "back to the land" movement and Mother Earth News. REI and Backpacker Magazine. Community cleanups and widespread tree planting. I would be fortunate enough to acquire a small hobby farm in Northern Wisconsin, if only for a few years. I often think about that property and can imagine in my mind how the land has changed, and how it hasn't. I will celebrate today not only by getting outdoors, but also by revisiting some of my favorite outdoor writers: Henry David Thoreau, Aldo Leopold, and Sigurd Olson. Their thoughts are

What day is it today? The woman on the other end of the phone asked, “How’s your day going?” “Oh, about the same as yesterday...” “Good one,” she says. At least I could inject a bit of humor. I don’t know about you, but for those of us quarantined at home, it seems as though every day is Sunday: one yawning day without very many milestones. I consider receiving the mail a major event. The governor’s daily address at 2:30 ish in the afternoon is another. At the beginning of this stay at home order I told myself that I would use noon as a cutoff: I had to be out of my pajamas by noon. Do I dare tell you that it is past 4:00 and I’m still in my nightgown? Let’s just say I’m getting in touch with my inner sloth. This order also breeds laziness. At one point I was counting out the number of underwear I had until I had to do laundry. What is wrong with me? I used to be a productive member of society: I read the newspaper daily. Now I collect the newspaper from the driveway every two days, I

Four weeks ago tonight, John Prine caught the April super moon and rode it to heaven. We knew he was sick with the virus and that his chances of recovery were slim, but it still hurt and it still does. I imagine he would have written some good tunes about our current state of being. As a “young man from a small town with a very large imagination,” he “made up songs,” along his postal route in the Chicago area. I can listen to his lyrics over and over and still get a rush of mixed emotions from his stories that are funny, absurd, devastating — and sometimes all in one song. John Prine introduced us to a colorful cast of characters: Lydia - “reading romance novels in her room,” while Donald was “envisioning romantic scenes” from the “barracks latrine,” and them “making love in their dreams.” Sam Stone returning from Vietnam with a “Purple Heart and a monkey on his back.” And the couple from “In Spite of Ourselves”- She “swears like a sailor when she shaves her legs,” and he “drinks his